During this article, we will cover the aspects of the check that a chess player should be wary of. First, we will have an introduction to this concept. Then, we will also see several examples of which pieces can or cannot give a check to the enemy King.
- TL;DR
- What is the check rule in chess?
- The Rules of Check in Chess
- How can you avoid checks in chess?
- How can you get out of checks?
- Examples of checks with different pieces
- With a Pawn
- With a Bishop
- With a Knight
- With a Rook
- With a Queen
- Special Types of Check
- Double Check
- Discovered Check
- Perpetual Check
- Do You Have to Say “Check” in Chess?
- FAQs
- Can you win chess by check?
- Can a King check the King?
- What is the difference between check and checkmate?
- Can you put yourself in check?
- How many times can you check in chess?
- What happens if you ignore a check?
TL;DR
- Check in chess is when a piece directly attacks the enemy King.
- The player in check must respond on their very next move and has only three legal replies: move the King to a safe square, block the attack with another piece, or capture the checking piece.
- You can never ignore a check or leave your own King under attack.
- If none of the three escapes is possible, it is checkmate and the game is over.
What is the check rule in chess?
It is a critical rule and defines the main characteristics of the game. It means a piece attacks the King. Since the King cannot be captured in this game, he has to move out of the threat. The game ends with a checkmate if the player cannot remove the attack on the King in their turn.
The above example shows a situation where the White player checked Black. The h7-Bishop attacks the King on the g8-square.
The check in chess is notated with the plus (+) sign during the annotation process. This sign is added at the end of the move to indicate that the player checked the enemy player.
For example, the last move in the position above is annotated as “Bxh7+”. This suggests that the h7-Bishop hits the Black King.
A player can use every piece other than the King to check the enemy. This includes a Pawn, a Bishop, a Knight, a Rook, or a Queen. Since the Kings cannot get close to each other, they cannot contribute to this concept.
The Rules of Check in Chess
The check follows a handful of strict rules that every player has to respect. Knowing them keeps you from making illegal moves and helps you read a position faster.
- You must respond to a check on your very next move. A check is not a suggestion. If your King is attacked, the only legal moves are the ones that get you out of it.
- Any piece except the King can give a check. A Pawn, Bishop, Knight, Rook, or Queen can all attack the enemy King. The two Kings can never check each other, since they are not allowed to stand on adjacent squares.
- You cannot move into check. Placing your own King on a square attacked by an enemy piece is an illegal move. The same is true for moving a piece that was shielding your King if doing so exposes him.
- You cannot stay in check. Any move that does not remove the threat is illegal while your King is under attack, even a move on the other side of the board.
- Giving a check is optional. No rule forces you to check the enemy King, and a check is not always the best move. Many checks simply chase the King to a safer square and help the opponent.
- A check you cannot answer is checkmate. If none of the three escapes is available, the game ends at once. See our guide to checkmate for the full rule.
How can you avoid checks in chess?
The best way to avoid the check in chess is to keep the King in a safe zone. This is often done by castling to a safe environment where the enemy cannot get closer to the King.
White castled on the short side.
As seen above, the enemy cannot attack the White King in a logical sense. The pawns in front of the King serve as a shelter, creating an unpenetrable fortress. If the c5-Bishop captures the f2-pawn, they could technically deliver a check. However, this would be a terrible idea because the King would still be kept safe.
The Black King must escape to safety.
Once the King is misplaced, it can be assaulted easily. The pawns are excellent forces to close this deal and avoid any danger. In cases where the King is jeopardized, as shown above, he has to have a safety walk. The g8-square is an excellent place to start this journey. Moves like these are called “prophylaxis.” This idea dodges future alerts by taking the necessary precautions in the early stages.
Black can gain a decisive advantage by striking the White King.
If one of the players pushes the pawns in front of the King, the squares not covered by the pawns are called “weaknesses.” The pieces can then occupy those squares, striking the King and gaining the initiative.
The above position illustrates a weakness in White’s position due to the lack of the f2-pawn. Since that pawn is göne, the “a7-g1” diagonal is considered weak. Black can check the White King by going Bc5+ and win an exchange by following with Nf2+.
To prevent this, players must tailor the position and think twice before pushing the pawns that are securing the King.
How can you get out of checks?
There are three ways to escape a check:
1) The first one is to run the King to a safe square that is not attacked by a rival piece.
The h7-King can go back to the g8-square to dodge the threat.
The g6-Knight strikes the h7-King in the above position. To escape this menace, Black can move the King to a safe square. Of course, this square should be chosen wisely to prevent White from attacking. Technically, Black can shift the King to h6, g6, h7, h8, and g8-squares. However, only one of those squares allows Black to have a safe King, the g8-square.
2) The second way to escape the threat is to capture the attacking piece.
The g8-King can remove the mance by taking the attacker, the h7-Bishop.
In the scene above, the h7-Bishop threatens the g8-King. Black can escape this threat by taking the unprotected h7-Bishop. This is typically a desired act if the King can return to safety in several moves. If White can initiate a forced sequence of moves once the King is too forward, Black can also choose not to capture the assaulting piece.
3) The third and last way of escaping this concept is by blocking the attack by putting a piece between the King and the assaulter.
The g4-Bishop can block the menace by moving to the d7-square.
The Black King is menaced by the h7-Rook in the position above. Black can block this threat by putting a piece between the c7-King and the rival Rook. This can be a lifesaver on several occasions. However, Knight and Pawn assaults cannot be blocked due to their unique ways of assault. This makes them somewhat more dangerous because of the player’s limited choices.
White is in check, and they must choose the best sequence to escape it.
Now, let’s see a position where we can use all three ways to avoid a check. The d5-King is under attack by the d1-Rook. The King can move, the b6-Bishop can be used to prevent the menace, or the d1-Rook can be captured.
If the King moves, the enemy can capture the e1-Rook and win a full Rook. The same also occurs if the b6-Bishop blocks the assault. This leaves us with the third option: capturing the assaulting force.
White is again in check, and only one way leads to victory.
Once the d1-Rook is captured, the enemy is captured back with the other Rook and assaults the King again. White now has two ways of removing this threat. If the King is moved, Black can win the e6-Rook. If the b6-Bishop is used to block (Bd4) the menace, White can keep all their pieces and go for the glory.
Examples of checks with different pieces
Players can use every piece other than the King to check the enemy. We will now see examples of several pieces threatening the rival King.
With a Pawn
The position below shows how a pawn can check the rival. The e5-pawn is utilized to attack the Black King. The opponent has to move to get out of this situation.
The e5-pawn hits the enemy King.
As illustrated, pawns attack one square diagonal. Due to their low relative value, they are extremely dangerous if they hit the King. Pawns can always be sacrificed for a bigger goal. Players must be cautious before letting the opponent have their pawns too far forward.
With a Bishop
The Bishop is used as an offensive piece to threaten the enemy below. The a3-Bishop is attacking the opponent King. The enemy has to move their King to a safe square.
Bishops have long scopes. This allows them to strike from a long distance. These attacks can also be blocked, probably by a pawn. If the Bishop is assaulting the enemy from the adjacent diagonal, they cannot be blocked.
With a Knight
Knights are tricky forces that are hard to avoid. The c4-Knight below attacks the opponent. Their assault cannot be prevented by blocking because of their unique attacking style.
The c3-Knight assaults the rival.
Since they cannot be blocked, they are subject to various mating patterns. Mate themes like “smothered mate” consist of Knights terrorizing the enemy King.
With a Rook
The Rooks are heavy pieces, the most valuable after the Queen regarding attacking forces. They are typically handy in open files and ranks. Capturing them to avoid the assault on the King might be hard due to their long range.
The h6-Rook strikes the enemy.
The position above shows the h6-Rook assaulting the d6-King. The Rooks are placed excellently at the seventh rank. Players must be careful and not let the enemy Rooks infiltrate their base if they have no plan to counter.
With a Queen
Queens are the most powerful pieces. Once they are involved in an assault, the gravity of the concern shifts to the maximum. Their long range of scope and ability to move diagonally, vertically, and horizontally allows for many scenes where the end is inevitable.
The f6-Queen attacks the d6-King.
As seen above, the f6-Queen can horizontally strike the rival. These checks can sometimes be dodged in all three ways we emphasized. If the attack is too near the King, the game can conclude with a checkmate due to a lack of escape options.
The example below also illustrates a scene where the Queen hits the opponent. This time, the Queen uses the diagonal rather than the rank or the file. The ability to constantly check sometimes allows one player to draw the game when they are down in material.
The b8-Queen uses the diagonal to strike the opponent.
Special Types of Check
Most checks are simple, but a few are stronger and need extra attention. These three come up again and again in real games.
Double Check
A double check happens when two pieces attack the King at the same time, usually because one piece moves and uncovers a second attacker behind it. This is the most forcing check on the board. The King cannot block or capture his way out of two threats at once, so the only legal reply to a double check is to move the King.
The position below comes from the famous game Réti–Tartakower (1910). White plays the stunning Qd8+, and after Kxd8 the move Bg5+ gives check with the Bishop and uncovers the Rook on d1 at the same time. With both pieces checking, the King must run, and White mates with Rd8#.
Discovered Check
A discovered check is delivered not by the piece that moves, but by a piece hiding behind it. When the front piece steps aside, the rear piece, often a Rook or Bishop, suddenly attacks the King. These are dangerous because the moving piece is free to capture material or create a second threat while the opponent is forced to deal with the check.
Perpetual Check
A perpetual check is an endless series of checks that the opponent cannot escape. The attacking player keeps checking the enemy King, which is forced to shuffle between the same squares. Because the position repeats, the game is drawn by threefold repetition. This is a vital resource when you are losing on material: a perpetual check lets you save the game even when you are down a Queen. It also answers a common question, “how many times can you check in chess?” — there is no limit on the number of checks, but a position that repeats three times ends in a draw.
Do You Have to Say “Check” in Chess?
No, you are not required to announce a check. In casual and friendly games it is a common courtesy to say “check” out loud so your opponent does not miss the attack, but it is not part of the official rules. In rated and tournament games players almost never say it, because both sides are expected to see the threat for themselves. What matters is the move on the board, not the word: even if nobody says “check,” the player whose King is attacked must still respond to it.
FAQs
Can you win chess by check?
Technically, players can win with a checkmate. It occurs when the check is unavoidable on the next turn. So, the answer is yes!
Can a King check the King?
No, the Kings cannot get close enough to check each other.
What is the difference between check and checkmate?
A check is an attack on the King that can still be answered. A checkmate is a check with no legal escape at all, which ends the game. Every checkmate is a check, but most checks are not checkmate.
Can you put yourself in check?
No. Moving your King onto an attacked square, or moving a piece that leaves your own King exposed, is an illegal move. You can never make a move that puts or keeps your own King in check.
How many times can you check in chess?
There is no limit on the number of checks in a game. However, if the same position repeats three times, often through a perpetual check, the game is a draw by threefold repetition.
What happens if you ignore a check?
You cannot ignore a check. Any move that does not get your King out of check is illegal. If there is no legal way to escape, the position is checkmate and you lose.
